Suggested Resources
Enneagram Alive Team Favourites Â
An internet search on "The Enneagram" brings up millions of results, making it hard to discern which are dependable, valid, and trustworthy. Here, as an initial guide, we present some personal preferences. We make no claim to this being an exhaustive list and have no commercial interest in promoting these resources.
Therese Ryan
I just love it when different parts of my life come together. As a six I was immediately won over by the title of a book edited by Helen Palmer. Inner Knowing: Consciousness, Creativity, Insight, and Intuition (New Consciousness Reader series by Tarcher ) is a collection of essays by a rich array of contributors exploring ways of accessing and developing a deeper awareness. I was surprised and thrilled to discover a piece on Focusing by Ann Weiser Cornell, confirming my sense that the practice I love is hugely powerful for anyone interested in the Enneagram.
I greatly appreciate Sandra Maitri’s books on the spiritual Enneagram, in particular The Enneagram of Passions and Virtues and The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram (both published by Tarcher, Penguin). For anyone who wants to dive into the depths of our type and explore who we are beyond our patterns, these are wonderful resources.
Martin Quigley has decades of experience working with the Enneagram and I’m very proud to own one of the first signed copies of his new book. I can hear Martin’s voice throughout More than a number: A practical guide to understanding yourself through the Enneagram personality model Champion. It’s a great introduction for anyone new to the Enneagram (a lovely present for a friend) but it also has reflective questions and exercises that will benefit those using the Enneagram for their own inner work and/or working alongside others. The tables and diagrams make it accessible and practical. A rich and wise accompaniment for our Enneagram journey.
​
Helen English
I’d like to run with a personal choice here, because things I recommend to clients are largely covered in this website’s resources page.
-
The Sufi Enneagram by Laleh Bakhtiar (Oct 2013) is one of the most thought-provoking and fascinating of my more recent reads: I dip into it for inspiration, rather than reading cover to cover.
-
The Enneagram Guide to Waking Up: find your path, face your shadow discover you true self. Beatrice Chestnut & Uranio Paes with a foreword by Daniel Siegel. Hard copy available in the UK from late November onwards - can’t wait to explore this! I have great respect for what Bea & Uranio bring and look forward to my pre-order copy arriving.
-
Enneagram Spirituality: from Compulsion to Contemplation. Susanne Zuercher. 1 Jan 1992. I came back to this recently and found new inspiration. Concise, readable, insightful.
Reflecting on my book choice here, it’s fascinating to see that much of my reading/listening and Enneagram inspiration is not drawn from Enneagram literature per se. Instead, it comes from my work with clients, in workshops, and from multiple inter-disciplinary sources, often by chance, or pure synchronicity. Just this week I loved hearing Josie Long (Radio 4s ‘Short Cuts’ series - Episode 22 ‘Storytellers’); “Even if you think the story of your life is set in stone, it isn't! You can work on some re-writes of the most important story that you have, which is, what you tell yourself your life is. And strangely, having a little bit of time to do that could lead to some really brilliant new chapters in the future.” For me, this spoke so strongly to the Enneagram theme of awareness and being awake to our narratives: put so beautifully. Enneagram inspiration is all around us!
Teresa Daniels
"I probably own over thirty Enneagram books, but the three I have read many times are The Enneagram by Helen Palmer, The Essential Enneagram by David Daniels and Facets of Unity by A. H.Almaas. Helen Palmer and David Daniels both demonstrate their expertise and understanding, by make a complex topic, simple. All of their books are very useful as valid and reliable sources of information thus I used them often during my training in the Narrative Tradition. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Facets of Unity, The Enneagram of Holy Ideas is a very challenging book, I often have to read and re-read passages. Not for the beginner, but Almaas' writing allows me glimpses of our true nature.
Although I enjoy reading, my main ongoing source of Enneagram material is from podcasts which I listen to whilst walking, driving or travelling. For depth and breadth, I very much enjoy Enneagram 2.0 with Beatrice Chestnut & Uranio Paes, I never miss an episode. As two of the foremost teachers worldwide they have generously covered and shared almost every aspect of the Enneagram.
On social media I follow two accounts who have excellent moderators – Enneagram & Enneagram Openings. Both of these accounts can have on occasion stimulating and insightful discussions. I also moderate Enneagram Events, which advertises good quality courses, workshops and teaching events happening worldwide."
Angela Scott
I dip into, enjoy and use so many different Enneagram books and resources depending on the situation. This makes it really hard to list a handful as each and every book and author brings so much individuality and insight into the many facets and topics that surround the Enneagram. But here are a few of my top candidates: "The Enneagram – Understanding Yourself and the Others in Your Life” by Helen Palmer. My first and favourite book as it was my introduction to the Enneagram and still very much a “go to” read for me. “The Enneagram Made Easy” and “Are you My Type, Am I Yours?” by Renee Baron and Elizabeth Wagele. I love these books as they are readily understandable and full of rich content. I lend these to the people who are new to or beginning to express an interest in the Enneagram.
​
“Bringing out the Best in Everyone you Coach” and “What Type of Leader are You?” by Ginger Lapid-Bogda, founder of the Enneagram in Business Network. I find these books are so useful in designing and building coaching strategies/programmes for my clients at all levels in the business world.
Terry Wood
"Coming from a Christian tradition I have found that the Enneagram has had a significant impact on my faith journey as it peels back our defence mechanism to discover more of the true self. Now I no longer work full time I am delighted to get involved with Enneagram Alive as we try to join the dots between the various Enneagram traditions within the UK in order to support and encourage each other. I am excited about what we can do together over these next few years.
Enneagram Resources I’m enjoying right now: “Principles of The Enneagram” by Karen Webb has been a great foundational book for me. “The Sacred Enneagram” by Christopher Heuertz which I am currently enjoying;“Typology” with Ian Morgan Cron: this podcast is a great resource to draw on and “The Complete Enneagram” by Beatrice Chestnut and the accompanying summary booklet “The Enneagram System’s 27 Personality Types” which I keep going back to. It helps differentiate between the different flavours of each type."